Some recording/playback apparatuses such as digital video recorders which digitally record video information on disk recording media such as a DVD±R and DVD±RW have a function of saving information (so-called play list information) indicating the order in which a plurality of pieces of video information were played back, or the order in which the user wants to play back a plurality of pieces of video information. This function is convenient in that the user can play back favorite information in a favorite order by a favorite method.
The type of information, however, which the user was interested in and played back is related to his or her privacy.
Some application software, e.g., web browser software, of personal computers allow the user to set the conditions concerning the protection of user's privacy. With this software, the user can set privacy protection items when installing the software, and can change the setting in a setting window after the installation.
Unfortunately, apparatuses such as video cameras do not take a sufficient measure to protect the privacy not only for play lists but also for operation logs, when compared to the field of computers. Also, the system configurations of such apparatuses are different from those of personal computers. This makes it difficult to set the conditions for privacy protection by the same method as application software of personal computers. That is, for example, the display screens are smaller than those of personal computers, and input means usable to set the conditions are also limited. Therefore, the operation is very troublesome if the number of set items is large. In addition, although a computer can identify the user by the user name and password, video cameras do not generally have a function of identifying the user.